Welcome to virtual travel...no ticket or passport required

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Virtually everything seems to have happened over the past couple of years and, we have to say that much of it  has not been good. Covid19 has altered (and denied) so many things: weddings, parties, even picnics! 

Hugging has become an inacceptable activity and even bumping elbows might often seem too close for comfort.

And that's just the tip of the slippery iceberg of living through lockdowns, lockouts and lack of socialising.

Restaurants and cafes have suffered extraordinarily, and travel...well let's just say that catching sight of a jet flying overhead seems now to be worthy of comment!

So, drum roll....

....here's a roundup of VIRTUAL travel goodies, so that we all may at least dip a virtual toe into the world that we hope to explore again, very soon, in reality.

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Tripadvisor advises walking the streets of a different city...

...beginning with Barcelona

Best of Barcelona Live Virtual Tour

Walk the streets of Barcelona in this small group guided virtual tour. Learn more about the iconic attractions in Barcelona including the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell and the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic). An interactive experience from home, full of stories, anecdotes and insights, including quizzes, polls and live Q&A session with your guide. 

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Best of Berlin

Best of Berlin - Private Live Virtual Experience

If you’re starting to feel down about not being able to travel, the next best thing is a virtual tour that allows you to explore the world from home. This tour takes you through Berlin’s top monuments and popular spots in the city, including the Reichstag Building, Tiergarten, Soviet War Memorial, and Brandenburg Gate. 

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Hong Kong

Old Town Central: A Real-Time Online Tour in Hong Kong

Walk the busy streets of Hong Kong with a friendly expert guide that will take you through a bustling open-air market dotted with small traditional shops to show you their curious trade practices. Got a question? You can ask the shopkeeper directly! Enjoy this hour-long tour from the comfort of your home. The group size is small and intimate so that you can interact directly with your guide, who lives in this very neighbourhood and you’ll get to mingle with virtual travellers from other parts of the world too!

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Tour the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal Virtual Tour with a Guide

Learn from a local the beautiful love story behind the iconic Taj Mahal and what it took to build this historic monument. The virtual tour will take you through the history, intricate design details and different areas of the estate. Your tour guide will also be able to share more about Indian culture and heritage. 

Home schooling gets to be more fun - for everyone

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The virtual streets of Melbourne hold some surprises

(pic © Tourism Australia)

At the Melbourne Museum, Victoria, Australia, choose from a plethora of different exhibitions to explore from home, from the Dinosaur Walk to the First Peoples exhibition and much more. 

For the little ones, tune into the giggle-worthy LOLastic tour. Crowd-free, maximum learning and entertainment all from your couch – what more could you want.

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Experience the magic of the Northern Territory

(pic © Tourism Australia)

Step away from your living room and into the relaxing and luscious surrounds of the Northern Territory with Story Spheres, offering experiential virtual tours in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Soak up a delicious 360-degree view of this sacred location while listening to ancient stories and the natural sounds that surround this magical part of the world. There's nothing quite like the echo of nature. 

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MORE VIRTUAL TOURS>>>

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Victoria's Immigration Museum comes alive

Can't make it to Immigration Museum? Take a virtual tour of our exhibitions, hear from a museum expert, dive into learning resources or get inspired by a range of family-friendly activities.

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Surfing on the internet

Barry (Magoo) McGuigan from the 1960s

Enjoy more at the Australian National Surfing Museum.

Plenty more virtual places for families to visit here...

Gone for seven centuries - but still remembered

Dante Illustrated: a tribute for the 700 years since the Master Poet's death

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence has dedicated a virtual exhibition to Dante Alighieri's masterpiece Illustrated by sixteenth-century painter Federico Zuccari, famous for having frescoed the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. Enjoy the online exhibition "To rebehold the stars".

See more...

Hey, let's go - with Heygo

Nairobi, Kenya

Did you know that Nairobi is the only city that boasts a national park? You can be admiring galloping gazelles, and regal rhinos, with a backdrop of sparkling skyscrapers. This is entirely unique in the world, and Claire, your Nairobi Heygo guide invites you on an early morning game drive through the park to spot some animals and learn about how these majestic creatures live in the wild.

We'll also learn about some of the rich history of the park, the threats to it, from the dawn of the 20th century to the present day, and how it is becoming a hotspot for Nairobi day-trippers keen to escape the hubbub of the city for a couple of hours. Escapism at its best!

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Thorikos, Greece

Join your guide, Nota, on this special tour to discover the archaeological site of ancient Thorikos that lies at the outskirts of Athens – at the coastal southeast part of the Athenian peninsula, the area known as Lavrion, where the most important silver-bearing lead deposits of the entire ancient Greek world are located.

Aside from the presence of ancient settlements, cemeteries, quarries and of important industrial quarters (and their ore-processing workshops), Thorikos is famous for its ancient theatre, the most renowned, conspicuous and controversial monument of the site. It was built in the early 5th century BCE (some 2,500 years from present) and its date and peculiar shape, both very exceptional features, are most likely linked to the social and political organization of the Athenian democratic regime structured since the late 6th century BCE.

Important note: Heygo is very happy and eager to show you this extremely important and beautiful place, especially after having a special permission to visit and live streaming inside the archaeological zone.

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Madagascar

A warm welcome to Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar which is located in the central highlands. From the majestic hillside where the Queen's Palace still stand, to the dynamic energy of the lower town, Antananarivo (also known as Tana) is full of surprises. During this tour, we are happy to show you a glimpse of Antananarivo. We will start the tour in Antaninarenina, at the upper town where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Analakely with its coloured parasols and tiled roofs. Then we will stroll down the stairs and hop on the old French 2cv taxi to the railway station which is the zero milepost of the city.

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Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Get ready for something special. We’re travelling to Bohinj with no passport no plane ticket and no luggage. And yet you’ll experience all the sights  sounds and stories with just your laptop favourite snack and an amazing content creator.

The tour will last about 70 mins and will be live-streamed by your content creator directly from Bohinj. Forget about slideshows or pre-recorded videos, this is a live broadcast and anything can happen!                        

While on the tour you’ll be able to see a full screen video of your content creator and their surroundings            interact with them and other travellers through the live chat see where you are in the world on a map and show your appreciation with a tip.  

 WHY are these tours tip supported?

Heygo runs these tours on a tip-supported basis to make them as accessible as possible. They are free to join, but you have the option to leave a tip during the tour.

The majority of your tip goes directly to support the channel, while the rest helps Heygo continue to build a place that brings the world closer together.        

Walk the Great Wall of China without leaving your armchair

As China's most famous attraction, the Great Wall of China is an essential stop on all China tours. Commonly considered a wonder of the world, the Great Wall boasts a history of over 2,000 years and stretches more than 3,000 miles across several provinces of northern China, making it one of the most impressive ancient structures on the planet.

The full version of this virtual tour consists of 14 scenes with much higher resolution. The guided virtual tour takes about 45 minutes. Pay online to enjoy the full tour. 

Find out more...

A glass of gin just became classier

New Zealand’s stylish and tasty Scapegrace Black Gin has launched a brilliant collaboration with Australia’s first dedicated digital mixologists, Box Bar, to offer tastings with a virtual twist.

Championed as the world’s first natural black gin, Scapegrace, which is distilled in Christchurch, is carefully curated using organic botanicals (aronia berry, saffron, pineapple, butterfly pea, sweet potato), to produce that very distinct and ominous black hue, which changes colour when mixed.

As an opening drawcard in early September, alongside the Scapegrace Black samples and a cocktail guide, anyone to place an order through Box Bar and have the Scapegrace Black Box delivered to their door, were granted access to a one-off gin masterclass hosted by Mikey Ball, Scapegrace Ambassador and Creator of Scapegrace Black, and James Harvey-Fiander, Chief Experience Officer at Box Bar.

Keep an eye on this brand, and see if more of these masterclasses will be offered in the future. 

More details...

So simple, yet amazingly addictive to watch.

Just Walk is an ASMR virtual travel channel Enjoy the urban and nature exploration with 3D sound and let the spatial audio bring you to the centre of the adventure! Raw and uncut footages - No talk, Just Walk.

Try the binaural sound in headphones, and let the magic of 3D relax your brain! (Best viewed...)

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See for yourself...

Mainly Spain

Raffles

...and many more.

Austria Virtually

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

Feel like an empress or emperor and stroll through splendid state apartments while kicking back on the couch at home, with the virtual tour through Schönbrunn Palace. 

The journey begins in the imperial family dining room of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, Sisi, and continues to the breakfast chamber before taking you to the Yellow Salon – furnished in neo-Rococo style – and on to the magnificent Mirrors Room. 

Built in the 17th century, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs is full of stories and history. Look and marvel!

Walk the Royal Halls and feel like true royalty.

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City of Innsbruck & Nordkette Mountain

Nestled in the midst of impressive peaks, Innsbruck is wholly deserving of its nickname "Capital of the Alps". Right now, you can explore both the city, its traditions and architecture and nearby Nordkette mountain with 12 different 360°/VR videos. 

Whether you'd like to attend a traditional "Schuhplattler" performance, explore Innsbruck's Christmas market, or tear down the Nordkette's ski pistes or mountain-biking trails, you can do all that here - and if you have a VR headset, you can even switch into VR mode to be that much closer to Innsbruck.

Simply click on "Menu" to choose your favourite online experience!

Snowboard down Nordkette mountain or attend a traditional Tiroler evening - virtually.

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Grossglockner High Alpine Road

Austria's 48-kilometre Grossglockner High Alpine Road links the provinces of Salzburg and Carinthia. Whether you start from the Salzburg side or from Carinthia’s Mölltal, crossing this Alpine ridge offers impressive views all around and the opportunity to explore a variety of vegetation zones.

You'll pass by Alpine meadows, mountain forests, massive rock formations, and finally the Pasterze glacier before summiting the Grossglockner, the country’s highest mountain at 3,798 metres. And the great thing is that you can now enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding towering peaks from home.

See Austria's highest mountain live...

Explore Auckland from the comfort of your lounge-room

Why not take a live-streamed walking tour along the picturesque harbour of Auckland, where you will see international super yachts, sea-food market and many other delightful places?

On the way enjoy expert commentary about all the developments happening around the city from your seasoned tour guide.

Kia ora and welcome to Aotearoa New Zealand! Guide Louise will take you for a walk along the harbour in Auckland, the City of Sails. Let’s start with the international Super Yachts, both brand new and vintage. Auckland will host the America’s Cup in 2021 so there is plenty of activity around us.

You will walk through Silo Park with interesting sculptures, playgrounds and a small forest. Visit the Seafood Market where you will see glistening kaimoana or seafood, caught fresh each day. 

Continue along North Wharf with restaurants and outdoor dining, a good chance to see Auckland's local lifestyle.

There's lots of interesting architecture in the area, with a mix of old and new. As you arrive at Karanga Plaza, we will be in front of the Team New Zealand base, and can take a look at some of the merchandise, the big screen and catch up on the latest regarding the status of the Cup.

Find out all the tour details...

Tulip Time goes virtual

The NSW Southern Highlands annual Tulip Time festival in Corbett Gardens is to be transformed into an online virtual tour following uncertainty around public health orders relating to physical distancing and public gatherings.

Planted in May, this year’s floral displays pay tribute to Tulip Time’s 60th Diamond Anniversary celebrations.

While Corbett Gardens will remain open to the public throughout the months of September and October, the event will not feature any traditional stalls or entertainment.

Visitor numbers will also be limited at any given time and a time restriction imposed.

The online video footage of this year’s Corbett Gardens Tulip Time display will be uploaded free to view in mid-September.

More details at Destination Southern Highlands...

Love Paris - but you can't get there, yet?

Now you don’t need to battle the crowds at the Louvre to get an up-close look at the Mona Lisa. Topping the list of the world’s top-searched virtual tours is Paris’s legendary art museum. Dive deep into the museum’s archives with detailed virtual tours on the Louvre’s website. 

Visit the Louvre's Petite Galerie HERE to see how...

...also check this out...

...and notice the FIFTEEN BEST HERE!

What's more Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with over 2,500 museums and galleries around the world to bring priceless art and experiences into your living room. 

See the huge range HERE>>>

State of the art with CyArk

CyArk is a non profit organization founded in 2003 to digitally record, archive and share the world's most significant cultural heritage and ensure that these places continue to inspire wonder and curiosity for decades to come. 

This is an ideal way to discover how people around the world are using technology to protect their cultural sites against climate change. See iconic sites around the world being destroyed by a changing environment.

In 2019 CyArk received an NEH Digital Projects and the Public prototyping grant to develop Resonant, a VR game utilizing extensive documentation of the Balcony House cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde.

Completed this year, the Resonant prototype allows for the exploration of core humanities topics including connections among place, culture, and language through historical, archaeological, and cultural perspectives. The VR experience of Balcony House combines 3D data, lighting effects and audio cues with actual voices from descendant communities to convey a powerful sense of place at the site across time and cultures.

Players are transported to the cliff dwelling site of Balcony House, guided via walkie-talkie and a notebook with the mission to photograph portions of the site in preparation for a documentary film.

Now you can journey through history in virtual reality.

Travel to three continents and visit some of the world’s most amazing places in virtual reality.

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Do keep an eye on Facebook for more virtual travel opportunities...

Please note: All editorial on this page is included solely because of its interest and possible value to readers. None of the places or products mentioned above has paid to be included. Text and pictures are used with permission.

No liability is accepted for any of the items mentioned in this article. It is the responsibility of users of this site to undertake their own research and make their own decisions.

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice. Not all businesses are operating as advertised due to the current Coronavirus situation. Please check websites before travel or booking.